dave moffat

JFDI you only need one kidney anyway sorryt hat didn't help did it

Good practice this week, made a start on a couple of numbers which had been languishing on the back burner, Duelling Banjos kept fking up the chords as my mind was set in DGBE mode b ut I was playing a tenor (GCEA) and IF, made acceptable progress, worked out what key we need for me to be able to do the vocals. Doing a straight swap of my Kala tenor Uke for a Lanikai baritone to tune GCEA and there's a luthier lined up to defret the next addition to my Bass collection. We're going to fit in a jam over the festive season, the other guy's B-I-L is coming over from Ireland and another who may be joining us on a regular basis. Tuesday's jam was a bit of a washout from my POV as they were running through their set for Sunday's gig which is fair enough, great to listen to though and I probably learned more than I'm was aware of. Missus joined me for the UKe group social on Monday although she hardly touches her uke she didn't make a miss note/chord until after 2hr in and really enjoyed herself. Looking for a lightweight keyboard for her xmas, to jam with cos I'm not lugging the fekin great DCX640 around. She'll be asked to gig way before me, she really is that good (grade 8 and then some) and there's not that many keys players. Son has retrieved his bass and guitar with the permission of his missus, so I have a bit more room for my collection, I'm trying to implement a 1 in 1 out policy so I think that counts as 2 out 😎

Thanks @Stewblack, that's what I have to keep reminding myself I think it's because I'm comparing myself to people who are or have been through the whole gigging band thing and have already been playing the stuff together for at least a year in the case of the jam session and last night they were working through the gig set or the weekend so I was mostly sitting back enjoying listening and making notes joining in where I could, the main male vocalist was setting his lyric/chord sheets where I could see them and the bassist was helping me out when he could. They've already written one original which is bloody awesome - lyrics by the female vocalist, music by the lead guitarist, still refining it but it sounds great already. The guy I'm practising with was in a band down in the south east somewhere so of course they're all miles better, however like the folk on here they've all been very helpful and supportive. I've accumulated 2 folders of lyrics with chords I'd like to work through over the next year for bass and about the same for uke. Need to acquire another (3rd) baritone uke and tune it GCEA for playing alongside the normal ukes everything is arranged to suit that tuning, keeping the other 2 at DGBE for playing alongside guitars etc.

Spose it's that time of year, now just over a year since I dragged my bass out of the cupboard where it had lain forgotten and gathering dust since I bought it and promptly given up 7yrs ago now. now at the stage where I've joined a regular Tuesday jam with a bunch of folk who are in a couple of bands (working learn some of their regular song list) and have a weekly practice session to learn put together some stuff for an open mic. Sometimes I come back wondering WTF I think I'm doing and feeling pretty inadequate, will I ever be a musician, so I spend the next day rationalising things ready to go out and do it all again. BC is a great resource/support. Its a real struggle just now as I think I'm trying to get to grips with too many things as a complete noob, I will get through it all but I just feel lost and inadequate some times. the Monday Uke thing is at least an hour and a half of non-stop chords, Jam is 3-4hrs, and practice is 1-2 hrs so by tonight I'll be pretty fried. Other days I'm downloading lyrics, chords and trying to get to grip with bass lines while learning theory almost by osmosis and the odd vid. Got a new load of songs to download over the next week so at least I'll have the lyrics sheets to hand (need another folder). Thank-you for introducing me to music/artists I'd never have otherwise come across, the info I've never thought to ask about and understanding my needs as fellow sufferers with GAS. I have already made serious progress towards yet another toy, as in, is it possible and how much. Just need to learn top play the ones I've got.

Worst has to be the Noel Gallagher cover of Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody, utterly awful heard in Tescos couple of days ago which is depressing enough without that abortion being piped through the store.

Showed it to the missus, can't print the reply, so it's back to the usual Debenhams voucher. Do think they look kind cool but a thicker version would be nicer maybe a nickel and a bronze in a twist

IF - chromatic run one fret per bar x3 change key run down, rinse and repeat for second verse, love the melody and lyrics but WTF, fortunately for the listener the bass is camouflaged by the synthesisers' 'bwoing'. Almost as bad as cello part in Pachlbell's Canon in D.

I just know I'll be giving it big ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzs except when some ignorant, inconsiderate, git phones to wish me a Happy Christmas "It was until I had to answer the fkin phone!!"

Just go to any decent hardware store and get a ball ended allen key, may have to get a set but they always come in handy, Teng kit is good.

Given the previous band history my response would probably be 1. Thank Fck 2.Fck that 3. Go Fck yourselves

Write them off as old news, enjoy the break over xmas/new year, fresh start, onwards and upwards, it'll work out OK maybe not in the way you expect but as the aussies say 'she'll be right' just keep an open mind.

reading betwwen the lines I reckon the chimp on the bongos will soon end up in a band of 1

Bit of a bummer, far as I can see they've fired you, so they can shove the gig up their @rses sideways without lube. Hope you find a decent, better band soon.

Been given a guesstimate of what my next bass is gonna cost, thankfully even after a trip to a luthier it'll be reasonably within budget. Phew!!

Another week hopefully more improvement. Last night Uke orchestra thingy, been struggling with the rapid chord transitions especially as it's arranged around tenor/concert/soprano tuning while I'm playing a baritone and not really my thing but it is challenging and making me a better musician (I think). Made a start on their Christmas tunes booklet. I've been on the point of chucking it in but I'm really improved so signed up for the next year. Today is all bass, practice our playlist in the afternoon, possibly another guy joining us so maybe more of a jam. Pub jam tonight think I've got most of the lyrics chord sheets printed off, just need to put them in a folder. Hopefully make a better fist of things this week, with luck the other bassist will be there to keep me right and missus is calling in on her way back from college so she'll just join in with vocals tonight.

I really like the look of these, got my eye on the tigers eye finish, get it de-fretted, maybe upgrade the pups and end up with my ideal electric bass and hopefully put a end to my GAS.

Sitting here in a mind numbed state of stunned WTF. I'd really like to say something nice ..but........

No chance I'll be abstaining in 2020 already making enquiries on the cost of a fretless Ibanez SR something or other which I think will complete my bass collection (stop laughing at the back). Have thought about reducing my collection of other instruments, maybe a guitar that could go. Might add a low C whistle (Stairway, El Condor Pasa ........) Think 2020 will be the year my direction settles down after a first frenetic year of learning and going from completely clueless to sort of competent/safe to be let out of the house. I've been pretty amazed at the way things have developed and changed, even when I'm not practising, I have theory insights (usually in the bath) and riffs coming into my head out of the ether. (early hours or I wake up with them in my head).

Made a start on Weekend Rockstars last night very enjoyable and well written, looking forward to reading my way through the others. I'd been looking for ward to something other than the usual stuff I read, this is a very welcome change. Keep em coming.

Think some 'music teachers' have been responsible for f'king so may peoples' potential/enjoyment it's so very sad.

One granddaughter started bass last year now on keys, a grandson started accordion now on uke, both passed the auditions for the scttish kids choir but both played in their school concerts and the boy has done a couple of solos. The two other grandaughters have guitars, not sure what the other 2 boys will choose but I suspect youngest will go guitar and the other drums. Not fussed if life gets in the way as long as they have had a chance to enjoy music and learn to play something/anything while young, its always comes back to you.

Weekend Rockstars downloaded to my kindle, looking forward to starting it tonight.

Prefer the Maytals version, bassline still the same, just about my level of incompetence.

I'd never heard that before but love it, simple but hypnotic bassline. I'd love to start with that if I ever join a band. Added to lyric and chords sheet list.

Pretty much the story with anything I try to join in with at the moment, there's a uke group I go to on a Monday night, I've got the chord sheets and lyrics but know very few of the songs and the chords just don't match what I'm hearing in my head even when I try to practice them at home. Looking at chord sheets and tabs online is no better, some tabs are f'cking awful and just seem to get cut and pasted between sites. So disillusioned that when I'm trying to work out/learn a song I learn the lyrics, work out how to play the melody and work out a bassline from there. Love the idea of taking 3 or 4 chords and going from there or maybe just choose a key say G then a progression say 1,5,8 just go random and see what happens 1,5,flat7,8 is quite cool if you bend the flat7 or 8 maybe slide flat7-8 and then you can just work the pattern around the Major L shape 😆 all over the neck